POWERING PROGRESS ON SITE
WHY RELIABLE GENERATOR TESTING MATTERS FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
Across the UK, construction projects continue to operate in a challenging and evolving environment, with infrastructure, housing and commercial developments progressing against a backdrop of economic pressure. For many sites, maintaining reliable temporary power has become a critical part of keeping work safe, efficient and on schedule. Here, Andrew Keith, division director of load bank manufacturer Power Prove, explains why proper generator testing is critical for maintaining reliable power on construction sites.
Official figures show modest gains in housebuilding in parts of 2025, but the sector continues to face significant challenges. The Government has set ambitious targets to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2028 / 29. Current forecasts suggest roughly 840,000 completions over the same period— 42 per cent short of the target. Savills estimates that“ 180,700 new homes were completed in 2024 / 25 … completions over the next year or two will remain low,” highlighting ongoing pressure in the sector. In this context, reliable temporary power is more important than ever, as generators help keep housebuilding sites running efficiently despite these constraints.
Why on-load testing matters
For any construction job, electrical power is as essential as bricks and mortar. Heavy machinery, hand tools, mobile offices, sales suites and welfare units all rely on a steady supply. On large new build sites, there is often no grid connection, so diesel generators are the only way to get power in the first place. But having a generator isn’ t enough: it must be properly tested under real working conditions to ensure it will deliver when the site depends on it.
It’ s not as simple as just using a generator. If a generator is too large it may run at a low load, and if too small it can struggle during peak demand. Irregular use can hide mechanical and electrical issues that don’ t appear during a quick start or no-load test. Even well-maintained generators can be unreliable if not exercised under realistic conditions.
20 AUTOMATION, CONTROL & ENGINEERING